Essays that succeeded: The Conqueror's Highlight Reel

AN ENTREPRENEURIAL ENGINEER and competitive rower who saw in his family’s weekend barbecue business an opportunity to deploy his mad skills in coding and data analytics to anticipate peak customer traffic and spikes in demand for tasty brisket

A BIG SISTER in the midst of a shift in friendships who, in between shifts at the local candy shop, found unwavering kinship and the steadying comfort of ritual and routine in a weekly frozen yogurt pilgrimage with her siblings

A SOCCER STAR who, in her fierce and enduring attachment to a childhood keepsake that ultimately helped her through a hurricane, observed a gradual evolution from diffidence and apprehension to independence and confidence

A FUTURE FASHION MERCHANT for whom a recurring childhood game of retail make-believe foretold a promising career trajectory toward management of the chic-est boutique in town—and a knack for training and mentoring others

A COMPETITIVE BASEBALL SHORTSTOP who got a job digging holes for a local business in the Georgia heat, and, in addition earning gas money and funding his burger budget, gleaned the benefits of personal accountability

A 21st-CENTURY RENAISSANCE MAN—piano, soccer, math, origami, social justice, educational advocacy—who discerned in his global study and sampling of his beloved ramen a layered and nuanced portrait of himself

A GAME-READY ATHLETE and loyal friend who parlayed her impressive footwork in girls’ soccer into a position as a clutch kicker in boys’ football, all the while contending with stinky socks and cumbersome gear-changes in the janitor’s closet

A BIG-BRAINED CRITICAL THINKER who unspooled his unique research strategy for better understanding the real-world phenomena that vex him, like the behavior of viruses, the persistence of revolutions, and the durability of rocket ships

A SELF-AWARE POET AND THESPIAN with a quirky personal style who found in her local music scene not only multi-sensory inspiration and joy but also a community of creativity and acceptance that helped her realize she’d never been alone

A GIFTED WRITER AND YOUNG JOURNALIST who braided the creativity of the imaginative household in which she grew up with her bottomless curiosity about the world around her to find intellectual freedom in award-winning storytelling

A PASSIONATE DESIGNER AND ARTIST whose study of the genres inspired her to defy the cultural blandness of her own hometown to find meaning—and belonging—in the masterpieces on display in the great museums of the world

A THOUGHTFUL ADVENTURER whose exploits as a leave-no-trace urban spelunker not only satisfied his independent streak and his interest in the architectural history of his native Dallas but also yielded an enthusiastic community of friends

A SELF-RELIANT ENTREPRENEUR with top-seller instincts who built a booming 3-D printing business that sold location-themed chess sets to players all over the world yet learned the hard lesson of asking for help as a barista at a local cafe

A SKILLED DEBATER AND MULTI-SPORT athlete who identified—and stared down—a tendency to get emotional in clutch moments, ultimately developing a mental toughness that equipped him for the leadership that came so naturally to him

A BONA-FIDE BAYWATCHER who channeled his fascination with rip tides and body-surfing into a life-guarding career on one of the country’s most lethal coastlines—while reflecting with gratitude on his family’s Sunday beach ritual

AN ACCOMPLISHED DOCUMENTARY FILM-MAKER and giant of community service with her own non-profit who bravely navigated the highs and lows of her relationship with a peripatetic, bi-continental parent to find her legacy—by her own definition

AN AMIABLE FORGER OF FRIENDSHIPS across boundaries who unflinchingly examined his own interests and identity and, with a painstakingly perfected banana bread recipe, founded a cooking club and built his own community of serious foodies

A SENSITIVE AND DISCERNING POLYMATH who saw that her interest in—and success at—pursuits ranging from running and physics to gluten-free cooking and brain chemistry constituted a versatility under-valued yet super-useful in a multi-faceted world

AN ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL TYCOON whose marketing idea for a local restaurant was a harbinger for an entrepreneurial paradigm of compassion and utility:  a beloved and acclaimed boutique that re-purposes fancy-occasion dresses

A STEM STAND-OUT AND VOLUNTEER who indulged his interest in the humanities with a life-long study of national flags—the tumultuous and hopeful historical moments that bring them about and the people who make them

A STAR GOALIE WHO CONVERTED a stinging own-goal in a pivotal game into an opportunity for reflection and correction; his relentless pursuit of improvement manifested not only on the pitch but in the classroom and in his friendships

AN IMAGINATIVE AND DISCIPLINED WRITER who overcame her unease with a hard-to-pronounce surname when, in the midst of a tragic loss, found pride in her heritage—and in her unique gift

THE STEM-EDUCATED, SOCIAL SCIENCE-ORIENTED THINKER who saw in a shared passion for sailing a way to forge friendships in his weekend community while pondering the meaning of otherness

AN AVID ANGLER whose journey from a push-button rod on the dock to chasing tarpon at midnight helped him find unrivaled peace and independence on the water—free of his smartphone

AN ASPIRING MUSICAL-THEATER ACTOR who traced his inspiration to a family vacation to Disney World where his dad gave a joyful (and memorable) performance as an audience participant

A CONTEMPLATIVE PHILOSOPHER who devoured the writings of a self-development guru and put them into practice in his own journey to awareness and compassion toward himself and others

A MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE who learned the life-affirming lessons of compassion and forgiveness when, at 10, he experienced the profound stages of grief after losing his dog in a tragic accident

A COMMUNITY GARDENER who taught herself to cook in a time of stress and grew into a competent chef capable of braiding, into challah bread, both family tradition and self-affirmation

AN ALTRUISTIC READER-WRITER who used the insights she gained as a fixer of restaurant plumbing, customer disputes, and popcorn concessions to see that some conflicts are best avoided

THE POISED AND PASSIONATE SOCIAL-JUSTICE WARRIOR who discovered, in silent offerings of cut fruit at her bedroom door, a quiet, mother-daughter inheritance of perseverance and fortitude 

A MUSIC PRODUCER AND SONGWRITER who, staring reinvention in the face, saw that replenishing toilet paper and writing jingles would bring a second chance at creativity even sweeter than the first

A WRITER (AND TELLER) OF MAGICAL STORIES, who, in spinning tales of fairies and faraway lands, identified the origins of her abiding desire to write and produce films for human connection

THE SOCCER STAR who overcame shyness on the sidelines to become a celebrated player and a confidence-building coach to up-and-comers—all thanks to her dad’s early bribery-by-Slurpee

AN IMAGINATIVE AND DISCIPLINED WRITER who overcame her unease with a hard-to-pronounce surname when, in the midst of a tragic loss, found pride in her heritage—and in her unique gift

THE STEM-EDUCATED, SOCIAL SCIENCE-ORIENTED THINKER who saw in a shared passion for sailing a way to forge friendships in his weekend community while pondering the meaning of otherness

AN AVID ANGLER whose journey from a push-button rod on the dock to chasing tarpon at midnight helped him find unrivaled peace and independence on the water—free of his smartphone

AN ASPIRING MUSICAL-THEATER ACTOR who traced his inspiration to a family vacation to Disney World where his dad gave a joyful (and memorable) performance as an audience participant

A CONTEMPLATIVE PHILOSOPHER who devoured the writings of a self-development guru and put them into practice in his own journey to awareness and compassion toward himself and others

A MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE who learned the life-affirming lessons of compassion and forgiveness when, at 10, he experienced the profound stages of grief after losing his dog in a tragic accident

A COMMUNITY GARDENER who taught herself to cook in a time of stress and grew into a competent chef capable of braiding, into challah bread, both family tradition and self-affirmation

AN ALTRUISTIC READER-WRITER who used the insights she gained as a fixer of restaurant plumbing, customer disputes, and popcorn concessions to see that some conflicts are best avoided

THE POISED AND PASSIONATE SOCIAL-JUSTICE WARRIOR who discovered, in silent offerings of cut fruit at her bedroom door, a quiet, mother-daughter inheritance of perseverance and fortitude 

A MUSIC PRODUCER AND SONGWRITER who, staring reinvention in the face, saw that replenishing toilet paper and writing jingles would bring a second chance at creativity even sweeter than the first

A WRITER (AND TELLER) OF MAGICAL STORIES, who, in spinning tales of fairies and faraway lands, identified the origins of her abiding desire to write and produce films for human connection

THE SOCCER STAR who overcame shyness on the sidelines to become a celebrated player and a confidence-building coach to up-and-comers—all thanks to her dad’s early bribery-by-Slurpee

A LATE-BLOOMING PIANIST who discovered his preternatural talent via a rock opera, and subsequently reached the apex of music theory—and a profound sense of belonging therein

THE SELF-DIRECTED SCHOLAR AND CRITICAL THINKER whose rigorous classical education helped her interpret the world’s divine symmetry and persistent chaos with wonder and grace

A PRODIGIOUS GOLFER AND SPACENUT who learned on the fairways not only how to smoke a drive and sink a putt but also how to make fruitful conversation with every partner and opponent she met

THE INTUITIVE PHOTOGRAPHER who bravely reckoned with her own loss, witnessed its manifestation in the visual stories she captured, and found imperfect solace in the mystery of natural splendor

A VOLLEYBALLER FROM NEW YORK whose journey out of adolescence to maturity and self-awareness evolved over regular visits to her grandmother’s garden and porch swing down South

A LACROSSE GOALIE humbled not by the hard shots of his opponent’s attack but by the rising tide and rapid current in a Maine river where he got comfortable with discomfort

THE TRACK PHENOM who lost a race at Nationals to anxiety and learned that in addition to lacing up his spikes and affixing his stickers, a vital key to victory was to free himself and find the joy

A DYED-IN-THE-RED RAZORBACK FAN, VOLUNTEER, AND BASKETBALL CENTER who captained her team with an innovative communication style while serving as an earnest ambassador to her home state

THE POSTER CHILD FOR JOYFUL KINDNESS AND GIGGLING CREATIVITY who traced her destiny for educational greatness to a sassy pair of boots and the kindergarten teacher who noticed them

A BIG-WAVE-SEEKING POLYGLOT who discerned in her twin passions for surfing and reading the awesome power of nature and the inimitable value of a humbling wipe-out

A GOURMAND BY BIRTH who brought his love for food love to a local pizzeria where he, after scrubbing pots, learned to shape magnificent dough balls with patience and composure

THE THEATER-LOVER AND JAZZ SAXOPHONIST who, with paintbrush and drill, navigated a thicket of backdrops to stage-crew leadership via adaptation and improvisation  

A SELF-PROCLAIMED EXTROVERT WITH AMBITIONS IN MEDICINE who mastered a table-top game he learned from his family and made it the centerpiece of gatherings known for lively discourse

THE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ARTIST who brought creativity, curiosity, and humility to every endeavor, whether as physics tutor, temari instructor, or budding etymologist who invented his own language 

AN ARTIST, OUTDOORSWOMAN, AND ENVIRONMENTALIST who meditated on the deeply personal meaning of home, reveling in the restorative power of nature but also in the resilience within her

THE SPRINTER-SCHOLAR who examined her vulnerabilities and saw that she, not others, was her greatest foe of all, and that valuing her achievements was the surest path to sublime fulfillment

THE GAELIC-FOOTBALL ZEALOT AND ENGINEER who with patient perseverance shifted his way through self-doubt and frustration to the perfect ride on the manual transmission of the family’s VW 

A BEACH-LOVER AND ACCLAIMED PILLAR OF LOCAL VOLLEYBALL CULTURE who, in her status as super-friend, family organizer, and model big sister, developed into a disciplined and intuitive leader

THE NEW YORK RACONTEUR whose sense of self and evolution into young adulthood was inextricably entwined with his beloved city and the stories it spawned, especially on the subway

A SLEUTH ON A MISSION TO UNDERSTAND THE DUALITY OF HER IDENTITY, exploring one history only for it to spark an enlightenment about the other—and inspire advocacy and belonging

THE VETERAN VOLUNTEER AND RESOURCEFUL PRACTITIONER OF TOUGH LOVE who discerned the fulfillment she derived in helping others the foundation of a career in occupational therapy

A GIFTED MUSICIAN-COMPOSER, D.J., AND MATHS MAVEN who converted a coworker’s slur on a construction site into an opportunity for reflection and cross-cultural camaraderie—whilst scrubbing down a sewage pump 

 A CHESS-PLAYING SWIMMER whose rookie mistakes at a popular local pizza joint shaped him not only into a prized expediter in the “pie hole” but also a mentor to trainees under pressure 

THE CHAMPION VOLUNTEER AND COMPUTER SAVANT who engineered his way to confidence and personal achievement by mastering the devices needed not only to build games but also to control his destiny 

A WISE AND SELF-POSSESSED MYCOLOGY PRODIGY who derived his equanimity from farming plants, then mushrooms, under a grow light in his garage, yielding nutritious meals for family and neighbors 

A SPOTIFY FAN-FAVE AND DECORATED DEBATER who learned the most about herself not when busking or arguing but when she proved her mettle on the family farm harvesting a tart and tiny fruit

THE RECOVERING TIKTOK ADDICT who found her cause while scrolling through the unkind commentary on the platform’s bikini frontier and became an advocate for a healthy-body confidence